The Charade
by YanksLuver
Summary: ***CHAPTER 4 IS NOW UP***Vaughn worries about Sydney's new mission and suggests that another agent do it instead. When she refuses to step aside, he takes matters into his own hands.
1. Chapter 1

Title: The Charade  
  
Author: Steph (ILUVNYYANK@aol.com)  
  
Category: Action/Romance/Drama/Comedy   
  
Pairings: Sydney/Vaughn  
  
Summary: Vaughn worries about Sydney's new mission and suggests that another agent do it instead. When she refuses to step aside, he takes things into his own hands.  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Archive: Sure, just let me know where.  
  
Spoilers: Nope.  
  
Disclaimer: Alias and its characters do not belong tome. I do this out of a love for the show and no infringement is intended.  
  
Note # 1: This is my first attempt at action Alias fanfic. I have no idea if I am any good at it, but I gave it my best shot. So, please excuse anything that seems impossible, illogical or just plain stupid. That's why J.J. Abrams has his job and I don't :) Also, this plot (Sydney/Vaughn working together) has been done before, but I just love the idea, so I couldn't resist!  
  
Note #2: This story will be either two or three chapters long. I am almost done writing the rest of it, but I haven't decided if I want to separate the next part into two smaller parts. It'll probably depend on how long it ends up being. But the next chapter (whether it is the last or second to last) will be posted in the next couple of days.  
  
  
  
* * *The Charade: Chapter 1 * * *  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sloane pointed up at the screen, as Sydney and Dixon watched from their seats, "This is Juan Camancha. Three weeks ago, he orchestrated a burglary at the science lab in Geneva. His men stole three vials of a Small Pox strain. In the wake of recent biological warfare concerns, the researchers were using this strain to develop a new vaccine to combat Small Pox. Camancha does not have such benevolent intentions. He plans on selling the strain to the highest bidder. His prospective buyers include some of the most dangerous terrorist organizations in the world. Needless to say, if this strain were to fall into the wrong hands, the results would be devastating."  
  
Sydney's fingers tightened around her pen, as she thought about how the 'wrong hands' were standing mere yards away.  
  
"So I assume you want us to steal it back," she said.  
  
Sloane nodded, "Yes, but it won't be easy. Camancha is an extremely paranoid and distrustful man. Thus, he had a freezer unit installed in his private bedroom on his estate in Madrid. The vials are in there. The unit is protected by a keypad with a code that is changed every day. You can use a descrambler to gain access. That, however, will not be the difficult part. The only people allowed onto that floor are his armed guards, of which there are four. Two are stationed at the entryway to the hall. Two more are stationed at the door to his bedroom. Sydney, you will be a guest at a party he is throwing tomorrow night. Camancha's extreme paranoia does not extend to his notoriously wild and lavish parties. Guests are required to present invitations, but it is not uncommon for his guests to be friends of a friend and unacquainted with him. You will have an invitation and your name will be on the list. You will assume the identity of a woman we know will not be attending and that Camancha is unfamiliar with. That will gain you access to the house and you'll have to figure out how best to incapacitate the guards from there. There are eight surveillance cameras. Two at the entryway to the hall, two in the hallway, two at the door to the bedroom, and two in the bedroom. Dixon, you will tap into the surveillance cameras and loop the tape. In addition, the bedroom is protected by a handprint scanner. It can only be opened by Camancha's handprint."  
  
"His handprint?" Sydney asked.  
  
Sloane nodded and then gestured to his hi-tech gadget guy, "Marshall."  
  
Marshall shuffled to his feet and gave a small wave to the group, "Hello, everyone, I hope you had a great weekend. Did anyone catch that E! True Hollywood Story on The Brady Bunch last night?" Marshall glanced around the room, "No...No...Okay...Because I have it on tape and I could make a copy or, better yet, you could come over and we could make popcorn, order a pizza, drink some Zimas-..."  
  
Sloane's patience had finally worn out, "Marshall!"  
  
Marshall jumped slightly. "Oh, yes, sir. Sorry." Marshall paused and then reached into his open briefcase. He pulled out two long black evening gloves and held them up to them. "Okay, so what do these look like? They look like a normal pair of evening gloves, right?" He smiled, held up his index finger and paused dramatically, "But these aren't your normal pair of evening gloves. No. These have a latex handprint mold built into them. You put your hand in and this really thin, can barely see it, layer of latex will adhere to your hand. Then you pull your hand out and press it to the pad and, poof, the door will open."  
  
Marshall walked over to Sydney and handed her the gloves, "I think you'll find these will look very nice on you, Miss Bristow. They are made of an exquisite silk, very fine, light and airy. You can put your gloves on and be like 'I'm a princess, Cinderella going to the ball, night out on the town.' Very chic, very stylish."  
  
Sydney smiled warmly at Marshall, "Thank you, Marshall, they are lovely."  
  
A slight blush crept into his face and he nodded, "You're welcome, Miss Bristow."  
  
* * * *  
  
Sydney entered the warehouse and smiled at Vaughn, "Hey."  
  
He returned her smile, "Hi, how have you been?"  
  
"Fine. Busy, as usual, but fine," She paused and then asked, "So what's my counter mission?"  
  
Vaughn seemed reluctant to begin. "Well, you will retrieve the vials of the Small Pox strain. But you won't give Sloane the right strain. At the airport in the ladies' bathroom closest to your gate, you will drop the small case with the strain into a wastebasket and pull out the fake."  
  
"Won't Sloane know that I made the switch?"  
  
"Not for a while. The makeup of the strain is only slightly different, but it is different enough to be weakened to the point that it will have nearly negligible effects if ever used. That won't matter though. They'll figure out it's not the right strain before they can use it and they'll assume that Camancha planted a fake as a ruse."  
  
"How can you be sure they won't suspect I had something to do with it?"  
  
"Because this won't be the first time Camancha has pulled something like this."  
  
Sydney nodded, "Okay, but then how can we be sure that the one we steal isn't a fake?"  
  
Vaughn shrugged, "We can't. That's just a chance we have to take."  
  
He paused and then glanced down at his feet for a moment before meeting her eyes, "How do you plan on gaining access to his bedroom?"  
  
"I'll be posing as a guest at his party and I'll create some kind of distraction in order to incapacitate the guards. Dixon's going to loop the tapes and Marshall gave me these gl-..."  
  
She stopped abruptly and looked at him curiously, "Wait, why did you ask me that? You always know what Sloane's plan is, usually before I do."  
  
Vaughn nodded, "I know. But this time Sloane is misinformed. Three days ago, there was an attempted burglary at Camancha's estate. Due to this, he has increased his security. There are now two guards stationed at the stairway to the third floor where his bedroom is located. In addition, he had a keypad installed at the door to his bedroom."  
  
"A keypad plus the handprint scanner?"  
  
"Yes and they must be activated at the same time."  
  
"Well, I have two hands, I can handle that. I'll use the same descrambler that I'm using on the unit to open it."  
  
Vaughn shook his head, "There's more. Both of Camancha's keypads have a new special feature. It is a safeguard against descramblers that renders yours obsolete."  
  
Sydney's eyes widened, "Then how am I supposed to get the codes to unlock the door?"  
  
"I'm sure you are aware that the codes are changed everyday. This is done, believe it or not, by Camancha himself. He has major trust issues. He is the only one who knows the code and he keeps it in a locket he wears around his neck."  
  
"This guy sounds really strange."  
  
Vaughn's jaw tightened. "It gets worse. There are way too many guards before you even get to the first keypad and scanner, Sydney. Too many things could go wrong and too many things have to go right for this to work. A distraction is just not going to cut it."  
  
"So what do you suggest I do?"  
  
Vaughn swallowed hard, "Camancha is paranoid and distrustful, but he's also a notorious ladies' man. It is his weakness. I'm talking a different flavor every day. He's a real scum, but, besides his guards, these women are the only ones allowed on that floor, in that hallway and in that bedroom."  
  
Sydney nodded, "So you're saying that tomorrow night I have to make sure I'm his flavor of the day."  
  
Vaughn averted his eyes. "Actually, I was thinking that maybe you should let someone else handle this one."  
  
Sydney smiled slightly, "Are you saying that you doubt my ability to attract his attention, Agent Vaughn?"  
  
Vaughn slowly raised his eyes, his gaze briefly scanning her nearly perfect figure.  
  
He tried to respond in a voice that didn't sound husky with desire, "I have no doubt that you could attract his attention, Sydney. That's not the problem."  
  
Sydney's lighthearted disposition quickly changed, "Then what is the problem? You don't think I can handle this, Vaughn? This is a cakewalk compared to what I usually have to do."  
  
"I'm simply suggesting that you let another agent gain access to the room and retrieve the strain. Then she'll give it to you at a predetermined location in the house. We can make it so no one knows, Sydney. Not even Dixon."  
  
Sydney's eyes flared, "And what I am supposed to do, Vaughn? Baby- sit her? Mingle with the other guests? Sit in a corner and crochet? Why the hell should I even be there?"  
  
Vaughn sighed and responded harshly, "I think you're overreacting. If you just stopped and thought about this for a moment, you might see that this is what's best. Don't let your ego cloud your logic, Sydney. If the other agent hands off the strain then she won't be suspected by Camancha and neither will you."  
  
"I'd be out of there and on my way home before he'd ever have a chance to suspect me," Sydney replied tersely.  
  
Vaughn groaned and responded roughly, "And how exactly would you do that, Sydney? Are you going to sleep with him and then wait until he falls asleep to get the code and steal the strain?"  
  
"Give me a drug. I'll drug him." She paused and then asked, "Isn't that how the other agent would go about it?"  
  
Vaughn sighed and rubbed at his forehead. He turned his eyes back over to her, "Look, you don't know Camancha. To say he is not a nice man is the understatement of the century. He treats women like dirt, Sydney. Did you know that he has had five allegations of rape and three of assault and battery lodged against him? Do you know what happened to those five women who made those allegations?" Vaughn paused and allowed his gaze to pierce hers. "They ended up dead within a week."  
  
Sydney's face grew pale, as Vaughn continued, "Camancha always gets what he wants and he won't take no for an answer."  
  
Sydney swallowed around the lump in her throat, but responded confidently, "I understand your concern, Vaughn, but I am more than capable of taking care of myself. I don't exactly deal with Mr. Rogers on a daily basis, you know. I'll drug him before he ever gets a chance to lay a hand on me."  
  
Vaughn shook his head sharply, "He doesn't drink, Sydney. He doesn't want it to negatively affect his...uh...performance."  
  
Sydney shrugged, "Then I'll administer it through a syringe."  
  
Vaughn lowered his eyes, "Camancha forces his women to strip down to nothing before he allows them entrance to his bedroom. His distrustful nature can manifest itself in most degrading ways."  
  
Sydney's mouth fell slightly open, stunned by how disgusting this man was.  
  
She looked at Vaughn for a moment and then nodded, "Fine, then we'll figure out another way."  
  
Vaughn sighed loudly, "Look, you're not right for this job. We have agents who are trained for this kind of thing. This is what they do."  
  
"You mean they sleep with the target to get what they need," Sydney said bluntly.  
  
"I know that's not a pleasant thought, but sometimes it's the only way."  
  
Sydney shook her head vigorously at him. "I am doing this, Vaughn. I guess I'll just have to figure out how without you."  
  
With that, she turned on her heel to exit.  
  
"Sydney!" he yelled, but she did not stop.  
  
"Damn it!" he screamed, as he kicked the wire fence and then brought a hand up to his forehead.  
  
* * * *  
  
Vaughn sat at his desk, twirling a gold coin between his fingers, as he so often did when he was worried.  
  
Weiss entered his office, "Hey, do you want to get a late drink at O'Malley's?"  
  
Vaughn shook his head, "No thanks."  
  
Weiss sighed and sat down across from him, "What did Sydney do this time?"  
  
Vaughn raised his brows at him, "Why do you assume it has to do with Sydney?"  
  
Weiss smiled, "Because it always has to do with Sydney, Vaughn. Since you became her handler that coin's seen more action than a Vegas hooker."  
  
That got a chuckle out of Vaughn. He tossed the coin onto the desk and turned his eyes over to his friend. "She's just so damn stubborn."  
  
"I assume she didn't take your suggestion of another agent retrieving the strain very well."  
  
Vaughn scoffed softly, "That doesn't begin to describe it." He paused and added, "She wouldn't even consider it for a second. It didn't matter what I said, she's determined to do this."  
  
"You know what she's like, Vaughn. Did you really expect her to just step aside?"  
  
Vaughn sighed, "No." He lowered his eyes as he continued, "I'm afraid of what she might have to do, Weiss. I'm afraid of how far she'll have to go to get this done and to prove to me that she could do it."  
  
"Sydney wouldn't do anything stupid."  
  
Vaughn shook his head, "I just don't know how she's going to complete this mission without doing something she may regret." Vaughn's voice grew soft, "And you know Camancha. If he decides he wants Sydney, then-..."  
  
"Don't think like that, man. Sydney can take care of herself."  
  
Vaughn closed his eyes, the thought of Sydney being harmed by that pig too much to bear.  
  
* * * *  
  
The guard studied her invitation and then scanned the list. His pen stopped about halfway down the paper, "Miss Gina Hallaway." He looked up at her, smiled and opened the door to allow her entrance, "Enjoy the party."  
  
Sydney offered him a flirty smile before sauntering in.  
  
Her entrance did not go unnoticed by many at the party, especially the men. There were many stunning women present, but Sydney seemed to exude something more.  
  
She was wearing a strawberry blonde wig that was arranged into a twist. She wore a long black skin-tight gown that nearly reached the floor. The neckline was scooped low and left just enough to the imagination. The back, or lack thereof, plunged to the base of her spine. She wore Marshall's gloves on her arms and a diamond lariat necklace around her neck.  
  
Sydney was nervous about this operation. Vaughn hadn't exactly inspired confidence in her and she was not sure that her plan would work. First, she had to remove Camancha's locket without him knowing. Then, she had to get past six guards. Once that was done, she felt confident that she'd be able to get into the room and retrieve the vials. It was just a matter of getting close enough to get that locket before he wanted to head upstairs. Yes, she knew that going with him upstairs would make this much easier by circumventing the guards, but she wasn't sure she'd be able to handle what might happen after that.  
  
And, to make matters worse, Dixon discovered that while he could loop the tapes for the surveillance, he would not be able to watch her through the cameras. A glitch in Camancha's security system made it so that looping prevented Dixon from also viewing what was actually happening and warning her of any problems. In addition, before she went in, she had discovered that she was getting interference in her earpiece and that she was unable to hear Dixon.  
  
So, she was going in there with virtually no backup. Sydney wondered what else could possibly go wrong at this point.  
  
Sydney walked into the living room and scanned it. Her eyes soon landed on Camancha, who stood by the piano talking to a flock of women. Sydney's lips turned downward as she studied the man. Arrogance practically formed a visible aura around him. He stood there in a white suit and open teal silk shirt with gold chains hanging around his neck, the locket clearly visible. Sydney thought he looked like a pimp.  
  
Camancha turned his head to laugh and found himself staring at Sydney. Her eyes met his and she offered him a smoldering smile.  
  
Camancha quickly excused himself and headed over to Sydney. The women he left turned and stared scornfully at Sydney, but soon headed off in different directions.  
  
Camancha reached Sydney and smiled. He spoke in a heavy Spanish accent. "Well, I don't believe I've ever made your acquaintance before. I feel quite sure that I would remember such a memorable woman."  
  
Sydney fought the urge to roll her eyes at the line and instead forced herself to form a gracious smile. She offered him her hand. "No, I don't believe I've had the pleasure."  
  
Camancha accepted her hand in his and brought it up to his lips. He pressed her gloved hand to his mouth and let it linger there much longer than necessary.  
  
Sydney silently thanked Marshall for those gloves. The last thing she wanted was those lips making contact with her skin.  
  
Camancha returned his eyes to her. "Would you do me the honor of- ..."  
  
Camancha's proposal was interrupted by a voice that came from a few feet behind them. "Gina! There you are!"  
  
Both Camancha and Sydney whipped their heads in the direction of the voice. Sydney's mouth dropped open as her eyes met those of Agent Michael Vaughn.  
  
He was by her side in a flash and quickly wrapped his arm around her waist. He smiled at her as he spoke, "Sorry I'm late, sweetie. You know my boss. What a slave driver."  
  
Camancha immediately stiffened when Vaughn came to stand next to Sydney. His jaw tightened, as he turned to her. "Ah, so your Gina Hallaway. And I assume this is your husband?"  
  
Sydney looked at Vaughn, who replied for her. "Boyfriend. But we're very close. We might as well be married."  
  
Sydney rolled her eyes at Vaughn, as she tried her best not to rip his arm off her waist and twist it until he fell to his knees.  
  
'What the hell is he doing?! He just made this a whole lot harder,' she thought.  
  
She smiled at Camancha, "If you'll excuse us, I'm sure my boyfriend here would like to get something to eat. He's very bad about eating three square meals a day."  
  
Vaughn shrugged, "She knows me so well."  
  
Sydney turned to him and forced a smile. She then spoke through clenched teeth, "Come on, honey, let's get you some food."  
  
They both excused themselves and walked away from Camancha, whose stare could have burnt holes into their backs.  
  
  
  
*****************************************************************  
  
TBC…  
  
Hope you enjoyed it and please let me know what you thought. ~Steph 


	2. Chapter 2

Title: The Charade  
  
Author: Steph (ILUVNYYANK@aol.com)  
  
Category: Action/Romance/Drama/Comedy   
  
Pairings: Sydney/Vaughn  
  
Summary: Vaughn worries about Sydney's new mission and suggests that another agent do it instead.  When she refuses to step aside, he takes things into his own hands.    
  
Rating: PG  
  
Archive: Sure, just let me know where.  
  
Spoilers: Nope.  
  
Disclaimer:  Alias and its characters do not belong tome.  I do this out of a love for the show and no infringement is intended.  
  
Note # 1: This is my first attempt at action Alias fanfic.  I have no idea if I am any good at it, but I gave it my best shot.  So please excuse anything that seems impossible, illogical or just plain stupid.  That's why J.J. Abrams has his job and I don't :)  Also, this plot (Sydney/Vaughn working together) has been done before, but I just love the idea, so I couldn't resist!    
  
Note # 2: This story will be three chapters long. The next chapter should be out sometime in the next couple of days.  
  
  
  
* * * The Charade: Chapter 2* * *  
  
  
  
Sydney squeezed Vaughn's left hand so hard as they walked that she nearly stopped its blood flow. She practically dragged him down one of the many halls and pulled him into a bathroom. She locked the door behind them and then whirled around to face him. Her glare could have frightened a pack of lions.  
  
"What the hell are you doing?!"  
  
"I think you broke my hand," Vaughn replied, as he studied his red fingers.  
  
"You are jeopardizing my operation!"  
  
Vaughn looked at her and then asked quietly, "Is Dixon-..."  
  
"No, we had trouble with the earpiece, but you didn't know that before pulling that stunt out there! What if he had heard you?!"  
  
Vaughn smiled knowingly, "I knew he wouldn't. I knew about your earpiece and surveillance problems."  
  
"How did you know?" Sydney asked, clearly surprised.  
  
"It's my job to know," he replied with a grin.  
  
Sydney shook her head sharply and her eyes grew wild, "I can't believe you?! What were you thinking?!"  
  
Vaughn's calm attitude quickly disappeared, "I was thinking that you are in over your head, Sydney! You wouldn't listen to a word I said, so I decided to take matters into my own hands. Look how much has already gone wrong when I specifically told you that this was going to be difficult if everything went perfectly!"  
  
"I don't need your help, Vaughn! This is my operation and I plan on completing it successfully!"  
  
Vaughn shook his head and responded softly, "I saw how Camancha looked at you, Sydney. You're not going to get what you want until he gets what he wants."  
  
"You don't know that. All I need to get is the locket."  
  
"And as soon as you get close enough to do that, he'll want to head upstairs with you. He doesn't waste anytime, Sydney. And, if by some chance, you did get it before it went that far, how long do you think it would take him to figure out what's going on? You would never have enough time to get past six guards, a keypad at the door, handprint scanner, and the keypad on the unit and get out before he or someone else caught on."  
  
Sydney's eyes narrowed at him, "You don't trust me."  
  
Vaughn sighed tiredly, "It's not about trust, Sydney. It's about being realistic."  
  
"I've pulled off operations much harder than this, Vaughn, and I didn't need you to do it."  
  
"Look, this will be much easier with two people. Here's the plan. I- ..."  
  
"What?! You are not giving ME the plan."  
  
"Sydney-..."  
  
"No, Vaughn, what gives you the right to tell me how to do my job?"  
  
"I'm your handler!"  
  
"You're not acting like my handler right now! My handler is not supposed to endanger my life and jeopardize my operation by arriving unannounced!"  
  
"Your handler is trying to make sure you don't end up dead or, God forbid, raped!" Vaughn yelled, unable to keep his emotions under wrap.  
  
Sydney snapped her mouth shot, as she realized he was truly concerned for her well-being. She didn't agree with how he went about ensuring her safety, but she knew his intentions were good.  
  
She averted her eyes and spoke softly, "I appreciate your concern, Vaughn, but this is completely inappropriate. Does Devlin even know you're here?"  
  
Vaughn lowered his eyes, "No, I am here in an unofficial capacity."  
  
Sydney shook her head, "You shouldn't be here either way, but coming here without letting Devlin know? He'll remove you as my handler if he finds out, Vaughn. He might even fire you."  
  
He raised his head and met her eyes. He responded in a sincere, low voice. "I don't care what Devlin does to me, Sydney. Your safety is my first concern."  
  
In truth, it made Vaughn's heart ache to think that he could be removed from Sydney's life and never see her face again, but that feeling couldn't even compare to the fear he had for her safety. It would hurt him more than words could express to walk out of Sydney's life, but he'd do it to ensure that she had a life to live.  
  
They looked at each other for a long, tense moment, before Sydney sighed heavily in defeat. "Fine. What's the plan?"  
  
Vaughn smiled in relief. "Okay, Camancha's cover is that he's in the movie business. He gives money to independent films and screenwriters that would otherwise be overlooked by the big movie studios. These parties are often where people approach him for money and pitch him ideas. Camancha does not like to mix business with pleasure, however, and often conducts these meetings in his office, which is on the second floor. These meetings can be rather lengthy, so his absence won't seem strange. I am going to try to pitch him a movie idea and we'll go up to his office. Once there, I will knock him out and remove the code from the locket. You will wait outside and together we'll go to the third floor stairway. You pretend to be looking for a bathroom because you're sick and then faint. I will then take that opportunity to overtake one of the guards and then you can take the other."  
  
"What about the guards at the hallway entrance?"  
  
"They are going to be trickier because they will know that we shouldn't be up there. I think we should act innocent. Tell them that the guards must have been on a break because we didn't see them. Of course, they won't believe that, but it'll buy us enough time to get close enough to take them out."  
  
"And the guards at the bedroom door?"  
  
"There is an emergency button at the entryway to the hall. If it is pressed, the guards at the bedroom door hear it in their earpieces and know that there has been a security breach at checkpoint number two. They'll leave their posts to see what happened and then we'll ambush them."  
  
Sydney smiled at the plan. "It should work. But I think I could have managed it by myself."  
  
Vaughn shook his head and offered her a smile, "Maybe so, but Camancha wouldn't have believed the movie pitch thing. He's heard of Gina Hallaway. She's in advertising."  
  
Sydney shrugged, "Fine, let's just hope this works."  
  
Vaughn clapped his hands together, a new twinkle in his eye that came from finally seeing some action. "Okay, let's put in a little more time at the party. We have to make Camancha think we're really together. We don't want him to be suspicious of us."  
  
Sydney nodded and then followed him out of the bathroom.  
  
* * * *  
  
Sydney and Vaughn reentered the large living room. Vaughn snatched a couple of champagne glasses from a tray a waiter was carrying and handed one of them to Sydney.  
  
She smiled widely and said in a sickeningly sweet tone, "Thank you so much, sugar plum."  
  
Vaughn smiled and whispered, "You might not want to lay it on so thick."  
  
"Are you saying you don't like my acting job, Agent Vaughn?" Sydney replied in a low voice.  
  
"My name's not Agent Vaughn, remember?"  
  
Sydney's brow furrowed, "Actually, what is your name supposed to be?"  
  
"Gunther York," Vaughn replied out of the side of his mouth, while nodding at another guest.  
  
Sydney had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. "Gunther?"  
  
"It was the best I could do on short notice," he replied, somewhat defensively.  
  
Sydney couldn't help but chuckle. However, the laugh subsided, as Vaughn's arm once again wrapped around her waist and his hand came in contact with her skin. His touch sent shivers down her spine and her body involuntarily shuddered slightly.  
  
"You okay?" Vaughn asked, as he realized his body temperature had just skyrocketed about ten degrees when he touched Sydney.  
  
"Yeah...uh...yeah, it's just cold in here."  
  
Vaughn nodded and commented under his breath, "Funny, 'cause I thought it just got real hot in here."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Uh, nothing," Vaughn replied with a hint of embarrassment.  
  
Sydney and Vaughn made their way through the crowd, smiling here and there, stopping to talk every once in a while. Sydney noticed how the women looked at Vaughn. He might as well have been a piece of meat. A pool of drool had formed at their feet.  
  
She had to admit he looked damn good. He was wearing a black suit and white shirt that was open a couple of buttons. It was a simple look, but achieved the desired effect. His hair was a tad more tousled than usual and she found that it made him look even sexier.  
  
But it was that smile of his that got her every time.  
  
'That smile,' she thought, 'could make a nun rethink her calling.'  
  
She loved when he offered her a crooked smile. It usually formed on the right side of his mouth and it made her knees go weak. There was just something about it that drove her crazy.  
  
Sydney was snapped from her Vaughn-filled thoughts by his voice. They had joined a man and a woman and Vaughn had engaged them in conversation.  
  
"Oh, we actually met about four years ago. I was working at a shoe store in Hollywood, you know struggling screenwriter, and she came in looking for stiletto heels." Vaughn paused and turned to Sydney. He spoke in a voice that was too sincere for his own good, "I think a part of me probably fell in love with her the moment I saw her."  
  
Sydney swallowed hard, but listened as Vaughn averted his eyes and went on, "Anyway, I brought out all of these stiletto heels in forty different colors and styles and, after all that, she decides on the very first pair I brought out! Then she tries them on, loses her balance and breaks her ankle. I accompanied her to the hospital and the rest is history."  
  
Sydney smiled at the story. It was a nice story...One that you could tell the grandkids as you sat around a warm, cozy fire on a cold winter night.  
  
She found herself looking at Vaughn and wondering what would happen if, someday when it was safe, they ended up together. They got married and started a family.  
  
Would she gather her grandkids around a fire and tell them the story about how they had met?  
  
Not likely.  
  
And something in Sydney sank at that thought, at the injustice of it all.  
  
Sydney snapped out of her thoughts, as she realized that all eyes were on her. They must have asked her a question. Vaughn must have noticed she wasn't paying attention because he said, "Come on, sweetie, tell them about the time at the zoo."  
  
Sydney's mouth opened and she was about to spin her story, when Camancha and another man approached them.  
  
"Excuse me for interrupting, Miss Hallaway, but my friend, Enrique Juarez, wanted to meet you," Camancha said.  
  
Sydney smiled at the man and extended her hand, but he did not return the gesture. Instead, he stared at her with a strange expression.  
  
Juarez turned to Camancha, "This is not Gina Hallaway. I saw her picture in the newspaper when she landed that billion dollar Locton account." He paused and then returned his eyes to Sydney. "The real Gina Hallaway is at least thirty pounds heavier."  
  
Sydney and Vaughn were shocked and their minds began to race. Sydney blurted out the first thing that came to her mind, "Well, I've lost some weight."  
  
Juarez laughed smugly, "I don't believe it's possible to lose thirty pounds in one week."  
  
Sydney's eyes widened and she stumbled for her words, desperately trying to salvage the situation. "Oh, yes, I remember now. The newspaper printed the wrong photograph. They issued a correction the next day."  
  
Juarez and Camancha didn't believe her story for a second. Camancha quickly reached inside his jacket and pulled out a walkie talkie. "Security Breach 413. Living room."  
  
Seeing an opportunity, Sydney used Camancha's momentary lapse in attention to kick him in the stomach, causing his body to fly into the dessert table. Vaughn reacted quickly too and landed a right hook to Juarez's jaw.  
  
They ran from the room, the guests too shocked to stop them and actually aiding them by parting like the red sea.  
  
The house or, rather, the mansion consisted of a maze of hallways, each with numerous doors. Sydney, who led the way, randomly chose one hallway and picked the fifth door on the left.  
  
The door was narrow and revealed a utility closet when Sydney threw it open. There was a broom, a mop and a bucket in the small space, but Sydney decided that she and Vaughn could fit. She shoved him in and then squeezed herself in beside them.  
  
Only an inch or two separated them and although, initially, the close proximity of their bodies caused their hearts to beat wildly, the discomfort the situation provided soon overpowered it.  
  
"You're stepping on my foot," Sydney said in a harsh whisper.  
  
"Well, your knee is digging into my thigh," Vaughn countered.  
  
"Ugh!" Sydney said, a tad too loudly.  
  
Vaughn sighed and then met her eyes, his voice low, "Do you really think it's wise for us to hide in a utility closet? It's likely they'll look here and we won't have any place to hide."  
  
"I've learned from my many experiences that often the best place to hide is the most obvious. People tend to think, as you do, that an obvious place like a closet would be too obvious and would leave the person trapped, so they often bypass these types of places."  
  
Vaughn let out a little groan. "Let's hope you're right."  
  
They were silent for a few moments, before Sydney asked, "So what's Plan B?"  
  
"Plan B?"  
  
Sydney's eyes widened at him, "You don't have a Plan B?!"  
  
Vaughn shrugged, although it was not an easy task in the small space. "Hey, I had great confidence that Plan A would work!"  
  
"You always have a Plan B!"  
  
"Did you have a Plan B?"  
  
Sydney responded hesitantly and in a soft voice, "No, but-..."  
  
"But nothing. This could have just as easily happened to you if I hadn't shown up. So don't lecture me about not having a Plan B when you didn't either. I barely had time to formulate a Plan A, never mind a Plan B."  
  
"Fine!" Sydney replied roughly.  
  
There were a few moments of uncomfortable silence before Vaughn broke it. "So what do you suggest we do?"  
  
"What do you suggest we do?"  
  
"I asked you first."  
  
"What are you, in fourth grade?!"  
  
They both shook their heads and rolled their eyes at each other. Their conversation was beginning to seem like the ones they'd had when they first met and were still learning about each other and figuring out how best to work together. Now that they were forced to work together in the field, they were finding that they had to learn how to deal with new aspects of each other's personalities.  
  
Sydney let out a breath and then spoke. "Okay, I say we give them a little more time to search and then we slip out. Then we have to find Camancha."  
  
"And how are we supposed to do that? This place is a maze, in case you haven't noticed."  
  
"I have a hunch he'll be in his office."  
  
"A hunch?"  
  
"Yes, an instinct, a feeling, an intuition."  
  
"I know what a hunch is!"  
  
"Then why did you-..."  
  
"You're risking our lives and this operation on a 'hunch'?"  
  
"It's worked for me before. I have very good instincts."  
  
"Is this 'hunch' based on anything?"  
  
"Yes, it is. Soon, Camancha will have decided that we escaped and he'll try to figure out who we are, what we were after and who we work for. It won't take him long to figure out that it's the Small Pox strain we wanted. From there, it's my guess that he'll go about using his contacts and connections to form a list of possible suspects. What better place to do that than in your office?"  
  
Vaughn shook his head, "That's weak, but I suppose it's as good as any other guess."  
  
Sydney smiled slightly, "Well, it's certainly better than your nonexistent one."  
  
Vaughn offered her a smirk before asking, "And then what?"  
  
"Then we incapacitate him and get the codes."  
  
"And what about the guards? They know what we look like now and they'll be watching for us."  
  
Sydney smiled, her eyes twinkling, "They know what you look like because you unwisely chose to come undisguised. But they only *think* they know what I look like."  
  
With that, Sydney pulled off her wig and her brown hair fell to her shoulders.  
  
Vaughn stifled a smile and then glanced down at her dress, "What about your dress? That's definitely not something anyone could forget."  
  
The last part had kind of slipped out and it drew a smile from Sydney. She didn't reply, but instead opened her purse and pulled out a small pair of scissors.  
  
"I never go anywhere without these," she said, holding them up to him.  
  
It was difficult in such a tight space, but Sydney managed to carefully cut her dress so that it now ended mid-thigh. She had been careful enough that the hem didn't look noticeably ragged. She also removed her black gloves and placed them in her pocket book. The last distinguishing feature was the diamond lariat necklace, which she also removed and placed in her pocketbook.  
  
She offered Vaughn a sparkling smile, "See, I'm a whole new woman."  
  
Vaughn grinned, as he looked her over the best he could in such close quarters. "Yes, you are. You look different enough that they shouldn't recognize you right away."  
  
She nodded and he went on, "But what about me? How am I supposed to help you incapacitate the guards when I look like this?"  
  
Sydney rifled through her bag and pulled out a small bottle that contained a yellow liquid. "Hair dye."  
  
Vaughn peered into the bag in amazement, "What else you got in there?"  
  
Sydney smiled and snapped it shut, "Never ask a woman what she has in her purse."  
  
She held the bottle up to him, "This hair dye washes right out and your hair doesn't have to be wet. All you do is squirt it into your hand and run it through your hair. Then your hair will be a blondish color."  
  
Vaughn tried to raise his arms up to take the bottle, but found that they were wedged tightly between the door and the back wall. He couldn't raise them up past his waist.  
  
He looked at Sydney, more than a hint of embarrassment in his tone, "Seems I can't really raise my arms up to reach my hair."  
  
Sydney raised her eyebrows, but didn't say a word. She opened the bottle and placed a few drops into her hand. She then rubbed her palms together.  
  
She raised her arms up, but her hands seemed hesitant to make contact with his hair. She swallowed hard and then placed her hands into his hair. She began to massage the dye into his hair, all the while trying to steady her racing heart.  
  
She'd imagined running her hands through that hair of his many times, but she'd never imagined it would happen like this. She felt almost sad that she couldn't just run her fingers through his hair like she wanted to...That this situation had to fulfill that desire.  
  
Still, she'd take it.  
  
Vaughn tried his hardest not to close his eyes and let the feel of Sydney's fingers running through his hair wash over him. She worked slowly and gently and Vaughn couldn't help but wonder what other magic those hands of hers could work.  
  
The moment ended far too quickly for them both. Sydney reluctantly pulled her hands from his hair. "Okay, you're done."  
  
"How do I look?"  
  
"You look like you went overboard on the mousse." Sydney smiled at his disgusted expression. "Don't worry. Camancha looks like he gets oiled everyday, so you look great compared to him."  
  
Vaughn smiled slightly, "Thanks, I think. Do I look like a surfer dude?"  
  
Sydney tilted her head to the side, eyeing his new blonde hair. You could give the guy a perm and he'd still be sexy, but the blonde hair color definitely gave him a new edge.  
  
"Well, you'll need to work on your language and wardrobe, but I think you could achieve that look if you put your mind to it," she replied with a grin.  
  
Vaughn nodded and smiled. He then removed his jacket, to further change his look and to try to cool off his body, which was in serious danger of overheating.  
  
But it wasn't the cramped, stuffy space that had created his problem...It was a certain sexy brunette standing only a few inches away that was responsible.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
TBC. . .Last chapter soon! Thanks for reading and please let me know what you thought! ~Steph 


	3. Chapter 3

Title: The Charade  
  
Author: Steph (ILUVNYYANK@aol.com)  
  
Category: Action/Romance/Drama/Comedy   
  
Pairings: Sydney/Vaughn  
  
Summary: Vaughn worries about Sydney's new mission and suggests that another agent do it instead.  When she refuses to step aside, he takes things into his own hands.    
  
Rating: PG  
  
Archive: Sure, just let me know where.  
  
Spoilers: Nope.  
  
Disclaimer:  Alias and its characters do not belong tome.  I do this out of a love for the show and no infringement is intended.  
  
  
  
Note : Okay, slight change in plans. I finished writing chapter 3 (which was supposed to be the last chapter) and then realized that the chapter was too long and too much was happening in it for it to be only one chapter. So, this is now the second to last chapter and Chapter 4 (the last chapter) will be posted in a day or so. Hope no one minds! ~Steph  
  
  
  
* * * The Charade: Chapter 3* * *  
  
  
  
There were a few moments of silence between them before Sydney whispered, "Okay, let's go."  
  
Sydney slowly opened the door and peered outside. The coast was clear, so she waved at Vaughn to follow her. Sydney took a left, then a right, then a left before seeing the stairway leading to the second floor. There were no guards in sight.  
  
Sydney and Vaughn slowly climbed the stairs and then turned left. Vaughn whispered, "Fourth door on the right," to Sydney.  
  
They continued down the hall, walking as closely to the wall as possible. They stopped when they reached the office door.  
  
They could hear Camancha's angry voice, "I don't care! Either you get me a list of names in 30 minutes or you're fired!"  
  
His was the only voice they could hear, so they assumed he was on the phone.  
  
Vaughn turned to Sydney and whispered, "How do you want to do this?"  
  
She rolled her eyes and responded sarcastically, "Well, I guess I could pretend to be a Girl Scout and ask him if he wants to buy some cookies."  
  
Vaughn raised his brow, "I don't really think you can pass as a Girl Scout."  
  
"Too tall?"  
  
Vaughn's eyes scanned the curves of her body, which were nicely accentuated in the skin-tight dress she was wearing.  
  
He responded with a slight grin, but refused to meet her eyes. "Not exactly."  
  
He then cleared his throat and said, "I repeat. How do you want to do this?"  
  
Sydney shook her head in annoyance. "This is what you get for being a desk jockey. There is only ONE way to do this."  
  
With that, Sydney lifted her right leg up and kicked the door in.  
  
Vaughn's eyes widened at the bold move and he muttered, "Damn, that was sexy."  
  
Sydney barged into the room. Camancha whirled around at the sound of the door being kicked in and was now staring at her, the phone a few inches from his ear. "What....Who the hell are you?! What do you want?!"  
  
By now, Vaughn had entered the room and assumed a position close to the door. He was sensing that Sydney didn't want or need his help.  
  
Sydney walked up to him and stopped a mere foot away. Her lips curled into a smile as she spoke, "Oh, I think you know what I want."  
  
"The Small Pox strain?" he asked with a smug grin. "What did you think you could do? Come in here, bat your pretty little eyes and I'd just hand it over to you? I don't think so, sweetie."  
  
Vaughn stood there with an amused expression, his arms folded across his chest.  
  
His mouth formed an "O" when Camancha called Sydney sweetie. 'Bad move, man', he thought.  
  
Sydney moved so quickly that Vaughn barely saw her. Before he knew it, she had placed her hand around Camancha's throat and pushed him back onto the desk.  
  
"I am not your sweetie," she replied in a harsh whisper, her breath hot on his face.  
  
Camancha managed to choke out a few words, "You'll never get the strain. It's protected by an immense amount of security."  
  
Sydney grinned, "Now that's where you're wrong. I can and will get the strain. I just need one more thing." Sydney brought her hand up to the chain of his locket, fingered it for a moment and then yanked it off of his neck.  
  
She offered him a wide smile before removing her hold on his throat and saying sweetly, "Thank you."  
  
Sydney was just about to deliver a blow to the side of his head to knock him unconscious when Camancha managed to say, "Not so fast."  
  
Sydney's fist hung in mid-air, as she eyed him suspiciously. "What?"  
  
"You might want to take a look behind you," he said in a raspy voice, as he rubbed at his neck.  
  
Sydney hesitantly turned around and her eyes widened at what she saw. A guard had a gun pointed directly at Vaughn's head.  
  
Sydney had no idea where he had come from. Vaughn had closed the door behind her, since the force of her kick wasn't strong enough to knock it off its hinges. The guard must have been hidden somewhere in room, maybe a corner, and she had missed him when she came in and quickly scanned her surroundings.  
  
She felt like kicking herself. Stupid, careless mistake. And now Vaughn was paying the price for it.  
  
Camancha now stood next to her. "You have a choice to make, Miss...I'm sorry, I never caught your real name."  
  
Sydney turned to him, her tone biting, "Well, my friends call me Sarah. But you can just call me Girl Who's Gonna Kick Your Ass."  
  
Camancha let out a throaty, almost villain-like laugh. "Humor. I like that in a woman. However, I don't really know that you're in any position to be issuing threats."  
  
Sydney ignored him and caught Vaughn's eye. She could tell he was trying to put up a brave front, but there was a fear in his eyes that she had never seen before.  
  
Camancha continued, "Like I was saying, Miss whatever your name is. You have a choice to make. Either give up the code and allow yourself to be taken into custody or your male companion will breathe his last breath."  
  
Sydney tightened her jaw. "I don't care what you do to him. Kill him right now, for all I care. I have no attachment to him. We were forced to work together," Sydney hoped that her tone was cold and unfeeling. God knows she couldn't have felt more different.  
  
Camancha eyed her for a moment before speaking, "Reverse psychology. Very nice. I guess your employer taught you something. If only he had taught you how to make your words match the look in your eye." He paused and added, "You care very deeply for this man. So, I'll give you your options again. Surrender or he will die."  
  
Sydney briefly closed her eyes, as images of Vaughn's lifeless, bloody body flashed through her mind. When she opened them again, her gaze fell upon Vaughn.  
  
Vaughn spoke softly, his eyes piercing hers, "Do what he says. You know what's most important."  
  
Sydney looked at him and nodded...He was right. She did know what was most important.  
  
He was.  
  
Sydney couldn't help herself. She knew what her decision should be, she knew that the interests of the agency, national security and a nation's safety were to always come first. But she couldn't do it. She couldn't send Vaughn to his death. Not as long as she had a choice. She just couldn't bear the thought of losing him.  
  
And, it was in that moment that she realized this, right here, is why you aren't supposed to become emotionally attached to your handler.  
  
This is why you aren't supposed to fall in love with your superior.  
  
Sydney slowly turned to Camancha and held the locket up to him.  
  
"No!" Vaughn yelled, but was quickly silenced by a blow to the head.  
  
Sydney winced, as she watched Vaughn's body nearly buckle from the blow. His balance wavered and he almost fell over, but somehow managed to steady himself.  
  
Sydney looked at Vaughn and then back at Camancha. There was something in his eyes that told her he planned on killing Vaughn no matter what choice she made.  
  
It came to her so fast and she just did it. She didn't think it through and she prayed that it wouldn't cost her dearly. She just didn't think she had a choice at that point.  
  
She whipped the locket at the guard holding the gun to Vaughn's head. The guard was shocked enough not to pull the trigger right away. This allowed the quick-thinking Vaughn to knock the gun out of his hand and then deliver an elbow to his chin, which sent him flying to the floor.  
  
Immediately after Sydney released the locket, she brought her hand back and whacked Camancha across the face. This stunned him enough to allow her to knee him in the stomach and then deliver a blow to the back of his head that left him unconscious.  
  
Sydney's chest was heaving and her heart was beating wildly as she turned around to face Vaughn, who stood over the body of the guard.  
  
She walked over to him. "You think he'll be out for a while?"  
  
"Long enough," he responded, meeting her eyes. "How about yours?"  
  
"He'll be out for a while," she replied, as she bent down to pick up the locket.  
  
She made a motion to leave, when Vaughn touched her arm. She slowly turned back around to face him. "What?"  
  
"Thanks," he said softly."  
  
She smiled, "Just doing my job."  
  
Vaughn shook his head and lowered his voice, "No, you weren't doing your job, Sydney. Doing your job would have meant letting me die, but you were determined not to let that happen. Now, should I be scolding you for disobeying my orders and going against the interests of the agency? Yeah, I should. But, truth be told, I'm just incredibly happy to be alive right now and I have you to thank."  
  
Sydney shrugged and offered him a grin, as she tried to lighten the moment. "I didn't want to be responsible for a handler dying on my watch, Vaughn. It was really more of an ego thing."  
  
Vaughn smiled knowingly at her, before leading the way out of the room.  
  
* * * *  
  
Sydney and Vaughn walked down the second floor hallway until the guards at the third floor stairway were in sight.  
  
Vaughn turned to her and said, "Do your thing."  
  
With that, Sydney bent at the waist and placed a hand to her stomach. She began to howl in pain as they approached the guards.  
  
"Ow! Oh, God, I think I'm dying! My stomach feels like it's going to explode! I'm going to be sick!"  
  
The guards eyed them suspiciously, as Vaughn and Sydney came to stand before them.  
  
"My wife is very sick. Could you please tell us where the bathroom is?"  
  
One of the guards pointed down the hall and was just about to respond, when Sydney fell to the floor.  
  
The guard closest to Sydney reacted quickly, immediately bending over to check on her. The other guard leaned forward to get a better look. It was at that moment that Vaughn kneed him in the stomach, causing him to double over in pain. Sydney used the closeness the situation provided to grab the guard by the neck and headbutt him. The guard fell backwards and landed on his partner. Sydney and Vaughn each dealt a final blow to the guards that left them unconscious.  
  
They exchanged excited, adrenalin-induced smiles, before running up the stairs.  
  
They approached the guards at the hallway entrance slowly. The guards immediately tensed and placed their hands on their guns. They walked towards Sydney and Vaughn until they were standing only a few feet away.  
  
"What are you doing on this floor? This floor is restricted access only."  
  
Vaughn played dumb. "Oh, really? See, we didn't know that. There weren't any guards at the stairs. Maybe they were on break or maybe their shift ended and their replacements haven't come yet." Vaughn paused and snaked his arm around Sydney's waist. He spoke in a lower voice, "My girlfriend and I were just looking for a little privacy, if you know what I mean."  
  
The guards continued to eye them suspiciously. It was obvious that they didn't believe a word of their story. At the moment that one reached for his gun and the other reached for his walkie talkie, Sydney and Vaughn reacted. Sydney swept her left foot across the floor until it came in contact with the guard's feet and knocked him down like a bowling ball. Vaughn preferred the more conventional method of a right jab to the jaw, which sent the guard flying to the floor. As they had done before, Sydney and Vaughn delivered blows to the head that would incapacitate the guards for some time.  
  
They barely took time to control their breathing, before Sydney pressed the red emergency button. They each took their position at opposite sides of the double doors. In moments, the doors swung open and two guards appeared, guns drawn. However, they didn't see Sydney and Vaughn, each with one arm outstretched and forming what amounted to a closeline. Their arms connected with the guards' throats and sent them flying onto their backs. Sydney and Vaughn then proceeded to knock them out.  
  
By now, they were both drenched in sweat. Vaughn's shirt had huge circles of perspiration under his arms and a big oval spot on his back. Sydney was a little more fortunate because her black dress hid the sweat well, but beads of perspiration has gathered around her face, plastering some stray hairs to her forehead. Her neck and chest glistened with sweat.  
  
Sydney and Vaughn hurried down the hallway and stopped at Camancha's bedroom door. Sydney handed the locket to Vaughn and then removed the gloves Marshall had given her from her purse. She then placed them on, while Vaughn removed the code from the locket. Sydney pressed the palms of her hands, to make sure the latex adhered to them. Then she removed the gloves and turned to Vaughn.  
  
"On three." He nodded, his hand poised above the keypad.  
  
"One, two, three!"  
  
With that, Vaughn punched in the four digit code and Sydney pressed her palm to the scanner. A moment later, a red light above the door changed to green and they heard the door click open.  
  
Sydney and Vaughn exchanged proud smiles, before entering the room. They quickly scanned the massive bedroom and noticed a painting above one of his bureaus. Sydney was over there in a flash and removed the painting. Behind the painting, was a large steel door with a keypad on it.  
  
"Behind a painting. How original," Sydney commented, as she placed the painting on the floor.  
  
"Code," Sydney demanded from Vaughn, who promptly handed her the second piece of paper.  
  
She quickly punched in the four digit code and smiled as the keypad's light went from red to green and the door swung open.  
  
Her delight, however, was short-lived, as she looked at the ticking bomb staring back at her.  
  
Sydney and Vaughn's eyes widened. The bomb had been triggered by the door opening. Apparently, it could be deactivated by another code, one that they did not have. To make matters worse, there was no way to retrieve the strain without deactivating the bomb. The bomb was strapped to the case containing the strain and could only be released by deactivating the bomb. The only other way to deactivate the bomb was to choose the right wire. The problem was there were five choices: a red, white, green, blue and yellow wire.  
  
Sydney's eyes were glued to the number ticking away. They now had 2:00 minutes.  
  
She turned to Vaughn, "What the hell is this?! You didn't tell me about this!"  
  
Vaughn shrugged, clearly as surprised as she was. "It's not like it slipped my mind, Sydney! We didn't know anything about this! He must have just had it installed. I mean, like today."  
  
"What are we going to do?! We don't have the code!"  
  
"Okay, okay, just stop yelling and let me think!"  
  
"Let you think?! Let you think?! This isn't a game show, Vaughn!"  
  
"Sydney!" he roared.  
  
She snapped her mouth shut. But only a moment passed before she spoke again, "1 minute and 30 seconds."  
  
"Okay, um, cut the yellow wire."  
  
"'Okay, um, cut the yellow wire'?! Damn it, Vaughn! Where's Marshall when you need him?!" Sydney stopped and her eyes brightened, "Marshall!"  
  
Sydney rummaged through her purse, pulling item after item out and dropping them to the floor. She reached the bottom of her purse and turned it upside down.  
  
"Where's my cell?!"  
  
"You're telling me you have everything and the kitchen sink in that purse, but you forgot your cell?!"  
  
"Do you have yours?"  
  
Vaughn shook his head, "It was in my jacket, which I left in the utility closet."  
  
"Damn it!" Sydney yelled.  
  
1:00.  
  
"We have to do something," Vaughn said quietly.  
  
She rolled her eyes at him, "Well, thank you so much for that brilliant assessment, Agent Vaughn. What would I do without you?"  
  
"Look, just cut the yellow wire."  
  
"Why the yellow wire?"  
  
"I don't know...I just have a hunch, I guess," he replied with a small smile.  
  
"A hunch?!"  
  
"Yes, an instinct, a feeling, an intuition," he responded, using her exact words from earlier.  
  
Sydney's eyes narrowed at him, "Okay, this is not the time to get cute."  
  
"Look, we have to cut one of the wires and my hunch is as good as anything else we have to go on."  
  
"Is it based on anything?"  
  
Vaughn shrugged, looking around the room that was decorated in a garish gold. The walls were painted gold and every accessory was done in gold. It was truly hideous. It looked like Fort Knox threw up in there.  
  
"Camancha's favorite color is yellow?"  
  
Sydney groaned. "Your hunch is based on an unconfirmed, quite possibly untrue fact."  
  
"Just cut the yellow, Sydney," he replied in an annoyed tone.  
  
"Fine," she grumbled under her breath.  
  
She then bent down to the ground to find her wire cutters. She stood up, took a deep breath and placed the cutters above the yellow wire.  
  
"You're sure?" she asked.  
  
"No, I'm not sure. If I were sure, then we wouldn't be having this discussion. Just cut the yellow wire."  
  
Sydney swallowed around the lump in her throat and then squeezed the handle at the same moment that she shut her eyes. The wire split into two and Sydney slowly opened her eyes.  
  
The clock had stopped at 5 seconds.  
  
"Oh my God," she said in an exhale. "I really, really hate bombs."  
  
Vaughn smiled and patted her on the back, "You did great."  
  
She returned the smile, "Hey, it was your hunch."  
  
Sydney and Vaughn then proceeded to remove the strain from the bomb. Sydney placed the small case in her purse. The contents of her purse, except for a few small items she deemed necessary, would have to stay behind.  
  
A moment later, they were ready to go. Sydney was the first one out the door, but her movement was soon halted by an arm grabbing her around the neck and placing a knife to her throat.  
  
Vaughn stopped a few feet away from Sydney and the man who held her hostage: Camancha.  
  
* * *  
  
TBC . . .Hope you enjoyed it and please let me know what you thought! Last chapter soon! ~Steph 


	4. Chapter 4

* * *The Charade: Chapter 4~The End~* * *  
  
  
  
Camancha smiled wickedly at Vaughn, "Did you really think it would be that easy?"  
  
"Let her go," Vaughn said in a calm voice. "We'll give you the strain, just let her go."  
  
Camancha shook his head and laughed. "Oh, it's not about the strain anymore. It's about respect. NO ONE is allowed to come into my home and treat me like this."  
  
Vaughn's eyes narrowed. This was much worse than he had imagined. A man who wanted something could be reasoned with. A man on an ego-trip was a whole other animal.  
  
"So what do you want then? An apology?"  
  
Camancha laughed and then ran the tip of the knife down Sydney's cheek, his gaze studying the contours of her face. His eyes remained focused on her, as he continued, "No, no, no. An apology won't be necessary. There is only one way that your *colleague* can show me the respect I deserve."  
  
Vaughn's jaw tightened and his fists clenched. He looked into Sydney's eyes and saw fear. Raw, uncensored fear. A look in her eye he had never seen before.  
  
He knew she feared less for her life than for the possibility of being violated in such a way. Sydney was strong and, if given the chance, she could easily overpower Camancha. But Vaughn knew that Camancha wouldn't allow for that chance. He would make sure that she was unable to move, helpless to protect herself. Various horrible scenarios flashed through his mind, all too unbearable to give any further thought to.  
  
But there was one thought that he could not get out of his mind...The thought of losing her...He couldn't stand the thought of losing her.  
  
Vaughn's glare pierced Camancha's and his tone was eerily calm. "If you lay even one hand on her, I promise I will hunt you down and kill you. I don't care if it takes me the rest of my life, I will find you and make you pay."  
  
Camancha laughed, his saliva spraying Sydney's cheek and causing her to flinch. "Those are pretty strong words for a man who is in your current position. You have nothing to bargain with...Nothing at your disposal but idle threats."  
  
"I assure you they are anything but idle threats. You have no idea who I work for or how far-reaching my connections are."  
  
"Save it!" he snapped. "I don't care what you have to say. It is obvious you care very deeply for this woman and she for you. Nothing would make you suffer more than knowing that she was fulfilling your dreams with me."  
  
Vaughn dug his nails into the palms of his hands.  
  
"Vaughn," Sydney said softly. He met her eyes. "It's okay."  
  
"Sydney-..."  
  
"No, it's okay." She turned her eyes to Camancha, "If I do as you ask, will you let him leave unharmed with the strain?"  
  
Camancha shrugged, "I've never cared about the strain. I don't need the money. It's all a game to me. It's about having something that everyone else wants. It's about being able to demand whatever you want from them. It's about power. But you've broken the rules and the game is no longer fun. You are free to have the strain and your colleague can leave here unharmed."  
  
Vaughn eyed him suspiciously. He didn't believe him for a second. No one would go through so much trouble if he weren't invested in this.  
  
"He's lying, Sydney. He wouldn't give up the strain that easily. He's put too much time, effort and money into it. His men will kill me before I reach the front door and they will take the strain."  
  
Sydney focused on Vaughn. She couldn't be sure he was right. Camancha seemed like he could be the type of man who would do something purely for the thrill of it.  
  
She addressed Camancha, "I will not do anything for you until I am assured that he is safe and on his way home with the strain."  
  
"That can be arranged," Camancha replied with a small smile.  
  
"Sydney, don't do this," Vaughn said in a barely audible whisper.  
  
Sydney captured his eyes. "Don't worry, it'll be okay."  
  
Vaughn studied her carefully. There was a look in her eye that Vaughn recognized. She had a plan.  
  
"Okay," he slowly replied, his eyes focused on her. "Fine."  
  
"Good, now that that's settled," Camancha said.  
  
"The strain is in my purse," Sydney said.  
  
"Give it to me," Camancha ordered. "I will make sure that it is returned to your friend after he leaves this room."  
  
"No," Sydney replied sharply. "I don't trust that you will keep your word. He gets the strain now or the deal is off."  
  
Camancha seemed to be considering this for a moment. He sighed and then reluctantly responded, "Fine. You may give him the strain. Open your purse and then he will step forward to remove it." He moved the knife even closer to her throat as he spoke, a silent warning not to try anything.  
  
Vaughn watched as Sydney fumbled with the purse. She placed it in her right hand and then opened its clasp with her left. Odd, he thought, since she is right-handed.  
  
She held the purse up and motioned with her head to Vaughn to step forward. He took a few steps and then reached into the purse to remove the strain.  
  
He had barely taken a step backward, when he heard a hissing sound and noticed that it was coming from Sydney's bag. It all happened so fast he could barely process it.  
  
Sydney's finger had pressed the nozzle of a small bottle of hairspray that was at the bottom of her bag. She had somehow managed to remove its cap and had pressed the nozzle through the fabric. After Vaughn took the strain, she had tilted the bag towards Camancha's face and pressed. The spray hit him directly in both eyes.  
  
Sydney knew it was a risk. If he reacted one way, she'd be dead right now.  
  
But he had reacted exactly as she had hoped. His instinct was to jerk his arm away from her in order to bring both of his hands up to his burning eyes. He had even dropped the knife in his panic.  
  
Camancha fell to his knees, his fingers rubbing incessantly at his eyes and low wails following out of his mouth.  
  
Sydney smiled at Vaughn, who simply regarded her with a thoroughly impressed expression.  
  
She reached into her purse and pulled out the small bottle of hairspray. She held it up to him and grinned, "A girl never goes anywhere without her hairspray."  
  
He couldn't help but chuckle, his eyes dancing in delight. "So that's what you deemed a necessary item?"  
  
She shrugged and nodded her head at Camancha, "Do you even have to ask?"  
  
Vaughn smiled and shook his head, "I guess not."  
  
He was just about to suggest that they leave, when his eyes widened at something behind Sydney.  
  
He yelled, "Sydney!" and then lunged at her, knocking her to the ground, just as the knife Camancha had once held sailed past her left ear.  
  
Vaughn quickly checked Sydney to make sure she was okay, before scrambling to his feet and rushing towards Camancha. He was still on the ground, rubbing at his eyes. He must have thrown the knife blindly and hoped to hit something.  
  
He'd come far too close.  
  
Vaughn swung downward and landed a punch to the side of his head, which knocked him over.  
  
"That," he said in a low voice, "is for calling Sydney sweetie." He paused and then spoke as he kicked him in the stomach. "And this is for decorating your bedroom in this horrendous gold. Really, what were you thinking?"  
  
Camancha, however, could not respond because he was now unconscious.  
  
Vaughn met Sydney's gaze, as she slowly stood up. There was gratitude in her eyes and no words needed to pass between them.  
  
Vaughn breathed a sigh of relief, as he allowed himself a long look at her. He was so glad he wouldn't have to find out what life without Sydney would be like. He'd lived that life before and he had no intention of ever going back. Now that he knew how much she brightened his world, how could he?  
  
Sydney lowered her eyes, his stare making her uncomfortable. She gestured at the room in an attempt to break the tension. "You're right, this place is terrible."  
  
Vaughn nodded, a slight smile on his lips, "I know. It's like someone let King Midas run rampant."  
  
Sydney looked at him thoughtfully for a moment before saying, "Agent Vaughn, decorating connoisseur. Who knew?"  
  
Vaughn shrugged and offered her a grin, "Hey, the CIA isn't my whole life, you know. I enjoy a good Home & Garden channel decorating program every once and while, just like everyone else." He paused and then looked Sydney in the eye, "And if you ever tell Weiss about any of this, I swear I'll hurt you."  
  
Sydney laughed and then brought her fingers up to her mouth in a 'my lips are sealed' motion.  
  
This action, however, caused Sydney to drop her purse. They both bent down, simultaneously, to pick up the purse and found themselves temptingly close to each other.  
  
Vaughn swallowed hard and searched his mind for something to say in order to alleviate the tension of the uncomfortable moment, "So...I guess we're even now. You saved me, I saved you. We're even."  
  
Sydney raised her brow at the strange comment that had appeared out of nowhere and then smiled as she leaned in closer. "Even? I don't know about even. I mean, there was the first plan, which you ruined. Then the second plan, the third plan...I saved you, you saved me. I don't know, it's a little confusing. Hard to keep track of. I'm not really sure we can say we're even."  
  
Vaughn's brow creased in confusion, but he decided to play along, "So what do you think we should do ab-..."  
  
Vaughn's sentence was cut off by Sydney grabbing the collar of his shirt with both hands and pulling her to him. Her lips crashed into his and a raw, passionate kiss ensued...One that released much of the sexual tension they had been tiptoeing around for far too long.  
  
Sydney slowly pulled away and looked into Vaughn's deep green eyes. She spoke in a breathy voice, "Now we're even."  
  
With that, she stood up, picked up the strain and sauntered out of the room.  
  
Vaughn's gaze simply followed her, a dumbfounded expression plastered across his face.  
  
* * * *  
  
Weiss stuck his head into Vaughn's office. He shook his head when he saw him staring blankly at the wall, while twirling the gold coin between his fingers.  
  
"What now?" he asked, as he sat down in front of him.  
  
"She kissed me," Vaughn blurted out and then turned his eyes to his friend.  
  
"Sydney kissed you!" Weiss said a tad too loudly.  
  
Vaughn's eyes widened and he replied in a harsh whisper, "Keep your voice down, man! Are you trying to get me fired?!"  
  
Weiss shook his head, "No, but it looks like Sydney is."  
  
Vaughn sighed, "I have no idea what came over her. It's not like I gave her any indication that I wanted something to happen between us."  
  
Weiss scoffed and Vaughn's brow furrowed, "What?"  
  
"It's not like you gave her any indication that you wanted something to happen between you two? Are you kidding?"  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Vaughn, anytime she calls you and wants to talk, you run right over. The girl stubs her toe and you're there in a flash. You're like Superman, without the unflattering cape and tights."  
  
Vaughn rolled his eyes, "Give me a break. I'm her friend. I'm the only person she can confide in. I'm also her handler and I want her to be safe."  
  
"You risked your job to fly to another continent in order to make sure she was safe."  
  
Vaughn lowered his eyes, "You know why I had to do that."  
  
"I know that you want to keep her safe. What I don't know is if it's because you're her handler and friend or if it's because you're in love with her."  
  
Vaughn's eyes widened, "In love with her?"  
  
"Yeah, you moron, in love with her. Don't tell me you haven't considered it."  
  
He had considered it, as evidenced by his comment at the party while pretending that he was somebody else. He had wondered if his comment about a part of him falling in love with her the moment he saw her had come from some place inside of him where it was true.  
  
Vaughn closed his eyes and rubbed at his forehead. "I can't be in love with her. You know I can't be."  
  
"No, I know you shouldn't be. I don't out rule the possibility that you are in the least."  
  
"I'll lose my job, Weiss. It would endanger both of our lives."  
  
"Yes, that's what smart, levelheaded Agent Vaughn would say. But what would head-over-heels, emotionally attached Michael Vaughn say?"  
  
Vaughn groaned. "Okay, I think I'm finally ready to ask you to shut up."  
  
"Not until you admit it."  
  
"Admit what?"  
  
"That you're in love with Sydney."  
  
Vaughn shook his head and Weiss leaned in closer to him. "Fine, don't admit it. But answer me this: When Camancha had that knife to her throat, was your only thought that you couldn't stand it if you lost her?"  
  
Vaughn averted his eyes and bent his head, but didn't say a word.  
  
Weiss smiled and then stood up, "I guess I have my answer...and so do you."  
  
Vaughn didn't even notice Weiss leave. He was too busy running his words over and over again in his mind.  
  
But it didn't take him long to reach the same conclusion Weiss had.  
  
He was in love with Sydney Bristow.  
  
He groaned, as he dropped his head into his hands.  
  
* * * *  
  
Vaughn nervously awaited Sydney's arrival at their warehouse. He had been pacing back and forth for what seemed like hours.  
  
He had planned it all out. He knew exactly what he was going to say. He'd even been practicing.  
  
"Sydney, what happened the other day was a big mistake. You know that as well as I do. We got caught up in the moment, swept up in the excitement of the situation. We both know that this can never happen again, so let's just leave it at that and try to resume a professional relationship."  
  
"Are you talking to yourself?" a voice from behind him asked.  
  
His eyes widened and he slowly turned around. He offered Sydney a small smile, "Me? No, I was just...thinking out loud."  
  
"And that's not talking to yourself?"  
  
He shook his head, "Nope, two completely different things."  
  
She offered him a confused expression, before simply nodding.  
  
Vaughn was the first to speak, "Sydney, what-..."  
  
She cut him off and said bluntly, "It wasn't a mistake. I don't regret it."  
  
Vaughn's mouth dropped open slightly and his brow wrinkled. "Uh, what...um, what are...You don't think it was a mistake? The, uh, kiss?"  
  
She shook her head sharply, "No, I don't."  
  
Vaughn sighed and shook his head, "Okay, now I don't know what to say to you. I has this whole thing planned out, I knew exactly what I was going to say and how everything was supposed to go-..."  
  
"Maybe that's the problem," she said, interrupting him again.  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
She met his eyes, "Maybe that's the problem, Vaughn. You and I are always working according to a plan. Sloane's plan, the CIA's plan. Everything we do together is practically scripted."  
  
"So?"  
  
"So maybe I want more," she said softly.  
  
He swallowed against the lump in his throat, "Sydney, you know-..."  
  
"No, Vaughn, don't tell me how I am supposed to feel. What's right and what's wrong. What's appropriate and what's inappropriate. I only know how I feel and that I can't help it." She paused and then continued, "I am tired...I am so tired of pretending. I spend my whole life pretending. I pretend with Sloane, with Dixon, with my father, with my friends, with every person I come in contact with while on a mission. I am sick of it. I thought the only person I never had to pretend with was you. And then I realized it. Just like that, it came to me. I've been pretending with you too, just like everyone else. But I can't stand this anymore...This charade."  
  
Sydney moved closer to him and Vaughn could literally feel the beads of perspiration forming on his forehead. "Sydney-..." he barely choked out.  
  
"I want more and I know you do too," she replied in a whisper, before softly pressing her lips to his.  
  
Their second kiss was very different from their first. It was soft and gentle, slow and lingering. It was the type of kiss you never wanted to end.  
  
Vaughn, however, reluctantly pulled away and looked into her eyes, "You know we can't do this." He paused and averted his gaze, "I want to...You have no idea how much I want to. But we just can't."  
  
"No, I don't accept that," she said firmly.  
  
His eyebrows peaked, "You don't accept that?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
His brow creased and he shook his head, "That...It doesn't matter if you accept it or not, Sydney. That's just the way it has to be."  
  
"Well, I refuse to accept it."  
  
"Sydney-..." Vaughn began, a hint of annoyance in his voice.  
  
"No, Vaughn, I'm tired of people telling me what I can and cannot do with my life. SD-6 and the CIA run my life enough as it is. SD-6 is the reason my fiancé is dead. I have made too many sacrifices and lost enough to last me three lifetimes. I'll be damned if I lose you too."  
  
Vaughn simply stared at her for a long moment. He knew it was of no use. When she made up her mind about something, she stuck to it. And, truth be told, he couldn't have been happier. He wasn't sure how much longer he would have been able to deny his feelings for her.  
  
He shook his head in defeat and smiled, "You are one incredibly stubborn woman."  
  
She smiled and took a step closer, "And you love that about me, don't you?"  
  
His lips gave way to a crooked smile, "Yeah, I do."  
  
"You know," she said softly, "I kind of liked you saving me for a change the other day. It's not often that someone else gets to be the hero."  
  
He grinned, "I didn't take you for a woman who enjoys the prince saving the damsel in distress routine."  
  
Her lips curled into a smile that reached her eyes, "Well, when the prince is as cute as you, I make an exception."  
  
It was now Vaughn's turn to close the distance between them. Their third kiss was everything a kiss should be. It was gentle, yet passionate. Raw, but tender.  
  
And it held promises for the future where impossible dreams had once been.  
  
But, most of all, it was a declaration of love without any words having to pass between them.  
  
They slowly separated and Vaughn spoke, "What are we going to do about our situation?"  
  
Sydney shrugged, "Well, I guess I have one more secret to keep."  
  
"And that won't bother you?"  
  
She smiled, "No, this is the good kind."  
  
His expression turned serious, "This will endanger both our lives, Sydney. You know that, right?"  
  
She nodded, her eyes focused on his. "It's worth the risk, Vaughn. We're worth the risk."  
  
Her expression changed suddenly and a wide smile overtook her face. She spoke with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes and in a low, breathy voice, "Plus, won't secret rendezvous be a lot of fun?"  
  
Vaughn tried to pretend that her voice didn't send shivers down his spine. "Oh yeah."  
  
She grinned, "We might as well put our spy skills to good use."  
  
Vaughn laughed, before wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close to him. "You know, I'd never dye my hair blonde for any other girl but you."  
  
Sydney smiled, "I sure hope not." She paused and then added, "And I'm guessing you wouldn't tell any other girl about your secret infatuation with Martha Stewart."  
  
"Home & Garden channel decorating programs, Sydney. Not Mart-..." his halfhearted protest was interrupted by her grabbing hold of his tie and pulling his lips down to hers.  
  
******************************THE END******************************  
  
Okay, that's all folks! Hope you enjoyed it! Thanks for reading and for all of your comments, I've really appreciated them! Let me know what you thought one last time ( ~Steph 


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